Asawi

You can start using your free minutes and upgrade on day two or three if you want to. I don't upgrade so I don't know much about prices, but I have seen the upgrade dropping around $30 per day for at least day two and three. Sometimes longer. Even though I'm not at all sure about this, it's my impression that price when embarking is the same as pre-cruise in the app.

That's what I like to do as well. I think it makes the room feel bigger and it's easier to move around in it.

I LOVE that way of looking at it! And FWIW, I was on a short land trip to Tromsö, Norway recently and managed to time it with the worst weather for a while. And yet I had a great time! Sunny disposition in action! 😄

That's certainly the easiest way to do it! 😄

The device reading it should be able to pick up the relevant command.

The charging the account and opening the door should have different commands. I don't know if the technical limitation of the hardware (the card) would limit it, but as far as programming it should not cause an issue.

But the thing is, they don't! Or at least they didn't when I was on Bliss earlier this year. All "call buttons" where pressed but the car still passed at times, I'm thinking there is some "smart" system routing the cars, possibly to avoid people on high (or low if going down) floors always getting a full car. Or something like that... (Do note I put "smart" in quotes.)

Some do and some don't. Some people here tip big early and swear it gives them better service. I don't and I get great service anyway.

IF entertainment can be booked it's 21 or 26 days depending on room and Latitude status.

I wasn't too impressed at Le Bistro, Gem a year ago either. Prefer the one I make myself, and I'm in no way a great chef!

And I think it doesn't have the 4-month limitation!

Euro is such a widespread currency that I'm sure they will appreciate.

The system doesn't update immediately when you change room type. I think it was a couple of days before it changed on my upcoming cruise. I don't know if it makes any difference between studio and inside but I went to an ocean view and that lowered minimum bid.

Well, I guess that's kind of the question. Are they? In my experience it doesn't seem so when I let my PCC handle things. But I really don't know! I ask him what he can do and most of the time he comes back with something good. 😄 (I don't worry too much about it. I don't book unless I feel original price is acceptable and any refund/upgrade is just a nice bonus.)

Except as I understood it we were discussing BEFORE final pay date. At least I was. (Over here final pay is 30 days.)

It does not include bottled water or soda cans (although you may get one now and then). Soda from gun is included, Drinks up to $15 are included (I'm sure someone will post a list soon of what brands of alchol are included). If drink is more than $15 you pay for what's over $15. You can get two drinks at a time and as long as you're not too drunk you can have as many as you like every day. Regular coffee and tea is free for everyone. Speciality coffee is not included in the basic drinks package.

300? Wow! That's a lot! I do recall my PCC telling me once that there was no point in doing the price drop thing on my room even though it had come down a lot. It wouldn't save me anything. I thought it was because of different promos, but maybe that fee was involved. Instead he did a slight room upgrade and because of price drop I got some money back (and a better room). I have not been able to find any documentation on policies which I find frustrating. Also I don't find too many Europeans reporting their experiences. I do however have a good PCC that had been very helpful.

In my experience (I'm also in Europe), yes. An administration fee of €50 is added and if you have used a promo like half price FAS or double points you will lose it if the promo isn't running at the time of repricing.

NCL may have difficulties connected to credit cards now. I'm waiting for a refund. Usually those go through in less than 5 days. Last week, after 10 bank days, I had my PCC check and NCL Finance came back and said my refund was in a cue but they would push stuff manually and I'd have it in a few days. That was 6 days ago. <sigh>

I can't see these 9-day cruises on NCL page. Just the 7-day.

If it would be as easy as you suggest, with the cruise all being in EU, the chance for NCL saying "yes, it's OK" should be high. If they say "No" they have their reasons and you just have to accept it. Yes, people miss the boat now and then. And at those occations it causes both work and annoyance for the crew. IF you decide to do it like this (which EVERYONE certainly would suggest against!) at least be open with it when you return to the ship. Let them know your friend isn't coming back. (Side note: Missing "a few days" on a 7 day cruise doesn't leave much a cruise in my opinion, but to each their own!)

I think this is the key. Unfortunately OP assumed things without actually checking them enough (They say they assumed a booking with basic FAS which actually would not have been possible according to the rules). And then thought the extras showing up on a keycard that would have been printed days ago was some sort of proof. I absolutely do not want to put any blame on OP though. I think they should have been informed of the changes even if they were visible on the new confirmation. And, as I said before, I find it so odd that GS couldn't backtrack the booking to see what had happened.

I have no experience of Getaway. But as a general note I have noticed how much things can change between cruises at the same ship. I was on Star last summer. It wasthe cruise where @YVRteacher cried over the horrible food, and even though my experience wasn't quite as bad since I'm not a full time vegetarian and had more options. But it wasn't good! So I was not thrilled about going on Star again a couple of months later. But at least I felt prepared to not eat well. It turned out things had improved a lot. Still in no way fantastic, but considerably better (or less bad...)! I'm going back on Star again in 12 days (yes, Star has itineraries that suit me!), and I'm not sure what to expect. Good thing I cruise more for the itineraries than the ship though!

Surely it must depend on what port it is but when I boarded Gem in Civitavecchia last year it was the smoothest fastest embarkment you could imagine.

With the extra guest's keycard being blank I suspect the error happened before GS got involved.